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CS 638: Computer Games Technology

CS 638: Computer Games Technology. http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~cs638-1/ Fall 2001. The Professor…. Stephen Chenney schenney@cs.wisc.edu Office: 6387 Comp Sci Office Hours: Tues 1-2, Thurs 4-5 Might change. The TA…. David Gekiere gekiere@cs.wisc.edu Office: 1347 (Graphics research lab)

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CS 638: Computer Games Technology

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  1. CS 638: Computer Games Technology http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~cs638-1/ Fall 2001 CS 638, Fall 2001

  2. The Professor… • Stephen Chenney • schenney@cs.wisc.edu • Office: 6387 Comp Sci • Office Hours: Tues 1-2, Thurs 4-5 • Might change CS 638, Fall 2001

  3. The TA… • David Gekiere • gekiere@cs.wisc.edu • Office: 1347 (Graphics research lab) • Office Hours: Mon 1-2, Fri 11-12 CS 638, Fall 2001

  4. The Interactive Entertainment Industry • Hardware makers produce gaming hardware • eg Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, … • Game Developers create games • eg Maxis, Electronic Arts (EA), Raven, a cast of thousands • Publishers publish games • eg Sony, Nintendo, EA, … • The model is similar to books or movies • One group creates it, another distributes it, and another supplies the underlying infrastructure CS 638, Fall 2001

  5. Flavors of Game Developer • Artists design models, textures, animations and otherwise are responsible for the look of the game • Level Designers create the spaces in which the game takes place • Audio Designers are responsible for all the sounds used in the game • Programmers write code, to put it all together, and tools, to make everyone else’s job simpler • And others: Production, management, marketing, quality assurance CS 638, Fall 2001

  6. Course Outline • Real-time graphics (6 weeks) • Lighting and shading, modeling, data management • AI: Game term for behavior (4 weeks) • Creating characters, path planning, generating motion • Networking: Playing together (3 weeks) • Protocols for gaming, architectures, managing bandwidth • Full syllabus online CS 638, Fall 2001

  7. Disclaimer • Game development requires more than graphics, AI and networking • Design, Art, Software engineering, Production, Audio, … • This course won’t formally cover any of that stuff CS 638, Fall 2001

  8. Books • Official textbook: “Game Programming Gems” • Not designed as a textbook, but good coverage for this course • Other useful books: • “3D Games:…” by Watt and Policarpo • Good graphics coverage, not good on AI and networking • “3D Game Engine Design” by David Eberly • Lots of equations, not much exposition • Website: www.gamasutra.com • Game developer technical and trade news CS 638, Fall 2001

  9. What I assume you know • C++ sophistication • Class inheritance, sub-classing, etc etc • Macros • Memory management • 3D graphics concepts and programming • “Standard” lighting and shading • Modeling techniques • Vectors, matrices, geometric reasoning • All required to understand next week’s lectures CS 638, Fall 2001

  10. Grading • Midterm and final • Approx 40% of the grade, might change • Project • Multiple stages staggered through the semester • Work in groups of 2-4, except stages 0.0 and 0.5 • 4 students will do 2x the amount that 2 students do CS 638, Fall 2001

  11. Project • You will begin with a skeletal game • User shoots static targets, minimal graphics • Each stage will add functionality • Improved visuals • Moving characters • Multi-player • Free expression CS 638, Fall 2001

  12. If you aren’t already in… • Email me your name and ID num - TODAY • Even if you think I already have it • I will accommodate all well-prepared students CS 638, Fall 2001

  13. LithTech • LithTech is the game engine that we will use in this course • A commercial quality product (large and complex but well documented and stable) • www.lithtech.com • Provides functionality useful in games • Eg: Rendering, animation playback, collision detection, particle system, networking • Also provides design tools for creating objects and environments CS 638, Fall 2001

  14. LithTech basics • LithTech works with Visual C++, on Windows machines with DirectX 8.0 • Stages in game creation (roughly): • Create the objects that will be used in the game • Do the level design • Write code to control the objects • Write code to interface to LithTech’s engine • Play the result CS 638, Fall 2001

  15. LithTech Tools • DEdit is a level design tool • Design the space in which the game takes place • Add objects, define lights, pre-process to improve performance • Some of the technology behind DEdit will be covered in class • ModelEdit is a simple UI for manipulating 3D objects • Prepares objects created elsewhere for use in the game • The game engine forms the core of a game • You create DLL files that are linked to the engine • The DLLs define all the specific behavior you require in your game • Some of the technology behind the engine will also be discussed in class CS 638, Fall 2001

  16. Additional Tools • Maya is commercial animation software that can export files for LithTech • Use it to model objects and specify the animations that go with the models • LithTech loads and plays the animations as requested • 3d Studio Max (or just Max) is another alternative • Can also communicate to DEdit through LithTech’s LTA file format CS 638, Fall 2001

  17. Documentation • All the LithTech documentation is available in /p/course/cs638-schenney/public/ • ProgrammingGuide.pdf - a guide to creating game code • LT-API.pdf - describes all the functions available • GameContentCreationGuide.pdf - how to create game content (models, levels, audio, …) • LTASchema.pdf - the LTA file format description • IntelligentMult-Player.pdf - how to do multi-player • DO NOT PRINT THEM OUT CS 638, Fall 2001

  18. Project stage 0 • Set up a minimal LithTech environment • It is essential that you do this stage, in order to: • Check that you have an account and enough disk space • Familiarize yourself with the LithTech environment • Appreciate the scope of the course ahead of you • Web site will be up today CS 638, Fall 2001

  19. Resources for Stage 0 • Local expert: Marcin Szymanski, marcin@cs • Marcin is taking the class but cannot be teamed with for the project • Look for help in the documentation first • LithTech is installed only on the machines in room B240 • High performance graphics machines • You have highest priority in using the lab, CS559 students come next • A limited resource (30 computers) so be courteous CS 638, Fall 2001

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